Sweet Child of Mine
by atomsmasher227
Summary: CHAPTER 4 IS UP! What happens when Petrie's family is killed by a sharptooth, and Pterano is the only one left to raise him? This is my first story, so no flames please! Rated T for some violence.
1. Chapter 1: Tragedy Strikes

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Land Before Time. I do not own the Guns 'n' Roses song Sweet Child O' Mine either. This is solely a fan fiction using the characters from the series.

Background: This is my first fanfiction ever. It is basically about Petrie losing his family to a sharptooth attack, and he being the only one who survives. It is set a year after The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire. Pterano just happens to be in the area, and hears of his sister's and her children's deaths. He learns that Petrie survived, and says he will care for the flyer. After a long descision, the adults agree to place Petrie in Pterano's care and abolish his banishment.

Sweet Child Of Mine

Chapter 1: Tragedy Strikes

It was a rainy, cold day in the Great Valley. Littlefoot was playing outside in the mud puddles with his friends, except Petrie wasn't there. He was at his nest, sulking, as this day marked one year since his uncle Pterano was banished from the Great Valley for five years.

"Are you alright, Petrie? You seem upset," his mother said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, me okay. Me just...sad...it been one cold time since Uncle Pterano left," the sad, petite flyer replied.

"Oh...it's okay, Petrie. It's not like he'll be gone forever. He'll be back," Petrie's mother consoled her depressed son.

"Me know...it just..." Petrie shook his head, "...No, no nevermind."

"What is it, Petrie? You know you can tell me," his mother said with a comforting tone.

"It just...he seemed like sort of a father to me. Me miss him," he crossed his arms and layed his head on them.

His mother nodded her head, "I understand. He'd make a wonderful parent if he set his mind to it."

The statement that Petrie had just made touched his mother. He'd lost his father when he was just a hatchling. It was a cold, windy, rainy night, and his father had gone for some twigs for the nest, and he had careened into a deep lake and drown. Petrie did not look much like his father, as his father was a charcoal-black flyer. He'd gotten a lot of his traits from his mother's side of the family. He looked almost exactly like his uncle Pterano, except for the color.

"Well, it's getting late. Why don't you go to bed, to try to get your mind off it," his mother said.

Petrie half-smiled, nodded, and went to his spot in the nest. He drifted off to sleep, still thinking about his uncle.

Unknown to any of the flyer family, danger was looming. After everyone in the Great Valley was asleep, a sharptooth had wandered, undetected, into the Great Valley. It sniffed around, and finally wandered over to Petrie's nest. It caught the scent of many flyers in the nest, and prepared to attack.

Petrie woke up to a loud roar. "Huh? What happening?" Everyone in the family was awake, screaming, running, as the sharptoooth blocked the entrance to the cave that housed the nest. Petrie panicked, and frantically tried to find his mother. The sharptooth had gotten all of his siblings, and snatched his mother in its jaws.

With a scream of pain, Petrie's mother yelled, "GET OUT PETRIE!!!! FIND ANY WAY TO GET OUT!!! GO!!!"

"NO!!!! ME NO LEAVE YOU!" he flapped around the cave.

"GO!!!!" she screamed, and looking around in confusion one last time, Petrie bolted out of a narrow space between the sharptooth and the wall of the cave.

By now, the whole Great Valley was aware of what was going on. Everyone was panicking, running frantically amongst each other.

Petrie flew through the confusion, and literally crashed into Littlefoot. He fell in front of Littlefoot, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Petrie, Petrie what's wrong?" Littlefoot pulled the little flyer close to him, keeping him safe from the riot going on around them.

"The...the...sharptooth got everyone in my family!!! Me only one left!!!" Petrie sobbed, clinging to one of Littlefoot's front legs.

By now, the riot was dying down, as the sharptooth was gone.

"There there, it'll be okay. Come with me, I'll take you to my grandparents. We'll take care of you."

Littlefoot comforted the little orphaned flyer.

The two went back to Littlefoot's area. It truly was a sad day in the Great Valley. A horrible tragedy had just taken place. The worst of it all, though, there was a small, confused, sobbing flyer with no one but Longnecks to care for him. Or, possibly, could there be?

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2: Uncle Pterano's Return

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Land Before Time. I do not own the Guns 'n' Roses song Sweet Child O' Mine either. This is solely a fan fiction using the characters from the series.

Chapter Two: Uncle Pterano's Return

The next morning, Littlefoot and his friends, minus Petrie, were all talking around the creek.

"So what exactly happened?" Cera asked Littlefoot.

"Well, apparently, a sharptooth wandered into the Valley last night and killed his mother, brothers, and sisters. He didn't sleep at all last night," he replied.

Ducky wiped a few tears from her eyes, "Why did that have to happen to Petrie? He does not deserve it, oh no, no, no."

Littlefoot looked to the ground, "I guess…it's just one of those things that happens and you can't do anything about it."

"But who will take care of him? Surely not you guys," Cera asked Littlefoot.

"I don't see who else. His whole family was killed," Littlefoot said.

"Well, not his whole family," Ducky replied.

The dinos looked at her. "_What?"_ Littlefoot asked.

"What about…you know…_him?"_ Ducky said.

"Who?" Littlefoot again asked.

"_I_ know who she's talking about! And here's your answer, Ducy: NO!" Cera snapped.

"_Who_ are you _talking_ about?" Littlefoot asked once more.

"She's talking about Pterano!" Cera answered him.

…………………………………………………………………………………

Meanwhile, Littlefoot's grandparents were talking with each other.

"I don't know what to do about this! That poor little flyer's family was killed last night!" Grandpa Longneck tried to hide tears.

"Do about what?" Grandma Longneck inquired.

"About who's going to care for the flyer! I mean, there are _no_ flyers around to take care of him. Heck, there's no one left in his _family!_" he replied, a few tears streaming down his face.

"There, there…I'm sure there's someone else," she tried to comfort her husband.

"Who? Who in his family is alive?" Grandpa Longneck asked.

"Well…there is…_him…_" Grandma Longneck replied.

"You don't mean…"

"I do." She made it clear.

Grandpa Longneck turned around and thought to himself. Pterano was truly Petrie's last relative…but he was a criminal. Yet, he apologized for his actions the previous year. He knew that Pterano would be an exceptional parent if he set his mind to it…but could he be trusted? Grandpa Longneck finally made up his mind after a long silence.

"…Alright. I will allow Pterano to care for his nephew. I don't know if I'm making the right choice, but it's not morally right to keep Petrie from his uncle. I am voiding the sentence. But…we don't know where he is."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

But Pterano knew what happened to his family. He'd been just outside the Great Valley the night before, and he caught wind of what happened by a far walker who left the Valley early that morning. Pterano was already on his way to the Great Valley. Finally, around noon, Pterano landed in the Great Valley, in front of a watering hole.

Topsy was walking to the water hole right then. He looked over and saw Pterano about 80 yards away.

"_WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?"_ Topsy thought to himself. He stormed over to Pterano.

"You have a lot of guts to be here right now!" he yelled at the already shaken-up flyer.

"I'm here because I heard what happened! My sister and all of her children are dead! I'm not going to stay outside the Great Valley when this happened just because of a stupid punishment!" Pterano snapped at Topsy.

Topsy was ready to flip out on Pterano, but stopped himself. Pterano's right, he thought. Instead, Topsy sighed and said, "Would you like me to take you to the Longnecks?"

"…Yes, I guess so…" Pterano stared at Topsy, as he thought he'd be screamed at.

The two rushed to the Longnecks, who explained to Pterano he was now allowed to live in the Valley again.

"Thank you, but, I don't see why I should stay. I have no one here who's alive," Pterano wiped a tear off of his face.

"Yes you _do!"_ Grandpa Longneck replied, "Your nephew, Petrie!"

"I do? Where is he?" Pterano asked, "Please take me to him!"

Right about then, Littlefoot and the others were strolling over. They saw Pterano. He was a _mess._ His hands were shaking, _he_ was shaking. Tears were streaming down his face, and he was whimpering. The four all felt bad for him. Well, _three_ of them, anyway.

"_WHAT?"_ Cera thought when she saw Pterano.

"Dad! Hey dad! Don't you see him? Pterano! Why's he back? He's not gonna raise Petrie is he?" Cera asked.

"Yes, he is, Cera," Topsy replied to his daughter.

"Oh, great, he'll mess that poor flyer up really ba—"

"_SHUT UP CERA!"_ Topsy shouted at his daughter.

Cera was shocked. She didn't say anything else.

Petrie looked over and saw his uncle, and Pterano looked down at his nephew. They immediately embraced.

"Uncle, my family was—" Petrie sobbed, he couldn't finish the sentence.

"I know, Petrie…I know…" Pterano broke into tears as well.

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3: Two of the Same

I disclaim all Land Before Time characters and the Guns 'n' Roses song "Sweet Child 'o Mine"

Chapter 3: Two of the Same

Petrie woke up, and it was still a little dark out, the time before dawn. He got up out of the hastily built nest his uncle had built the night before. He looked over at his uncle. He was still sleeping. He could see that around the Great Valley that most of the other dinosaurs were still sleeping. He sat down to assess his situation. It was a bittersweet situation, as he'd waited forever for his uncle to return. He was happy Pterano was going to raise him, but he also still was mortified that his family was killed.

But Pterano was watching his nephew looking up at the sky now. He saw himself in his nephew, because a tragedy similar to this one had happened to him as a child.

_She's got a smile that it seems to me Reminds me of childhood memories_

-Flashback-

Pterano and his sister were playing outside.

"Catch me! Catch me!" Pterano was flying with great speed, and his sister was following.

_Where everything was as fresh as a bright blue sky_

"I'll get you!!!" His sister crashed into him, and they both fell on the ground and laughed.

Pterano smiled at this memory.

_Now and then when I see her face She takes me away to that special place_

Later that night, Pternao and his sister were awakened by their parents fighting.

"WHADDAYA MEAN I DON'T DO MY PART?" their father was screaming at their mother.

_And if I stared to long I'd probably break down and cry_

"YOU DON'T!!! ALL YOU DO IS SAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET FOOD AND _DON'T COME BACK UNTIL NIGHT!!!!" _their mother snapped back at their father.

"_GET OFF MY BACK, YOU LITTLE…"_ Pterano looked away, scared, and his sister comforted him.

_Ohohoh, Sweet child of mine Whoa, oh, oh, oh, sweet love of mine_

The two little flyers were horrified at what happened next. Their parents got to fighting, fell off a ledge, and were killed.

-End Flashback-

Pterano shook his head. He walked over to his nephew, and layed his hand on Petrie's shoulder.

Petrie looked up.

"Did you sleep well?" Pterano asked.

"…Yeah, yeah me sleep good," Petrie replied, "Why this have to happen?"

Pterano sighed, "…I…I guess it's just something that we can't control, Petrie. But you need not worry, everything will be okay. I'll make sure nothing ever happens to you."

Topsy walked over to Pterano right then.

Pterano looked at him with suspicion.

"Hi…how are…how are things going, Pterano?" Topsy asked.

"…Good, they're going good."

"Hey. I want to say…what I'm trying to say…I think…umm…I think," Topsy shook his head, "I'm sorry for what I've said. I…I want to make things right. Let's stop fighting."

"…Alright…but you have to promise me that what you did all those years ago will never happen again," Pterano said to Topsy.

What did Topsy do all those years ago?

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4: Scars of Flesh and Emotion

I disclaim all Land Before Time characters and the Guns 'n' Roses song "Sweet Child 'o Mine"

I disclaim all Land Before Time characters and the Guns 'n' Roses song "Sweet Child 'o Mine"

Chapter 4: Scars of Flesh and Emotion

(FLASHBACK TO WHEN THE DINOSAURS REACHED THE GREAT VALLEY)

Topsy was walking around his nest of hatched eggs, eager about being a new father. He smiled at Cera, as she was alive, not dead, after what everyone had just gone through. But he had business to take care of. A certain pteranodon had led the herd into a trap of sharpteeth. He found Pterano sulking around a pond.

"Well, well well. Here he is, the attempted murderer!" Topsy shouted at Pterano, who had his back turned to Topsy.

Pterano closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He turned around, "SHUT UP TOPSY! JUST SHUT YOUR FAT FACE FOR ONCE! ALL YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO ME SINCE THE INCIDENT IS RAGGING ME ON ABOUT BEING A 'MURDERER!'" WE WERE ALL IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME!!"

Topsy growled at Pterano, "It was _your_ fault!! _You_ led us into danger! _YOU_ COULD HAVE KILLED EVERYONE!!"

"It was no one's fault!! Stop placing blame!! I'm sorry, okay? I am truly, deeply sorry for what I did to everyone!! Is that enough for you? Huh? HUH? _HUH?!" _Pterano was eye-to-eye with Topsy.

Topsy growled, yelled, and then bit Pterano above the right eye. He kicked Pterano in the stomach, which made him fall in agony. He then dug his claws into Pterano's back.

"THAT'LL TEACH YOU! YOU, YOU…BASTARD!!" Topsy said, and walked away.

Pterano somehow managed to pull himself up. He was bleeding all over. All he could see out of his right eye was crimson. He stood there, trying to contain himself from tears, as he was not one to cry. But he couldn't hold it in. He let out a loud cry of physical and emotional pain. Hot tears stung his battered face. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed. He had made the biggest mistake of his life.

"I AM A MURDERER!! AN UNWANTED, UNLOVED, OUTCAST CRIMINAL!!" he was very upset. He took off into the sky, to leave the herd.

(END FLASHBACK)

"Alright, Pterano. I admit I was wrong. So very wrong. And I will never harm you again. You were right. We were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I forgive you, after all these years," Topsy replied, "Now you'd better get home. You have fatherhood to wake up to tomorrow!"

Pterano laughed lightly, "Yeah, I know. Funny though it is, Petrie feels like a son to me."

To be continued…


End file.
